If you are wondering what to include in a pitch deck, a seed-stage deck covers roughly 10–12 core elements: problem, solution, traction, team, market, competition, financing and risks. An ocean tech deck should open on the named operator's problem and the buyer, then show the technology, then put field evidence right behind it so investors move from claim to proof.
What slides belong in a startup pitch deck, and in what order?
The Holloway Guide to Raising Venture Capital says decks have a fairly standard format of 10–12 slides: thesis, vision, problem, solution, traction, team, timing, market, competition, financing, and risks and challenges. Your slides need not match one to one, but each element should be covered. You can follow that sequence slide by slide or let your company story carry the elements.
For marine hardware, the order shifts. This sequence keeps the standard elements and moves the proof forward:
| Slide | What changes for marine hardware |
|---|---|
| 1. Operator problem | Name the operator and what the problem costs them today |
| 2. Buyer and edge | Who pays and approves, and why your technology changes their routine |
| 3. Market | Reachable operators you counted, and what each would pay |
| 4. Field evidence | Where, how long, conditions, failures, host operator |
| 5. Traction | Operator follow-through, ranked by commitment |
| 6. Competition and risks | Compare against the current routine as well as other products |
| 7. Team | Domain and operator experience |
| 8. Financials, ask, use of funds | Milestones the money buys |
How long should the deck be?
Aim for 10–12 core slides and move overflow to an appendix. Holloway notes that analysts typically recommend 10–12 slides, and that a solid longer deck beats an incomplete short one. A seed-round study from UC San Diego's startup toolkit advises 20 pages or fewer, noting that each visit averages 3 minutes 44 seconds. Both fit together: the core story stays near a dozen slides, and anything that only supports it goes behind the appendix divider.
How should an ocean tech deck show the problem and who pays?
Name the operator, what the problem costs them today, and who approves the purchase. Write it so a generalist who has never seen a marina can follow it. If they can't, later slides may not get a fair read. Our guide on how to pitch ocean tech investors in Florida goes deeper on the opening slides at each funding stage.
JPMorgan's deck guidance says to define the pain point with data and to explain why it needs solving now. For marine buyers, add the operator's own words for the problem and the cost of their current routine. Then show how the product fits with systems already on board or on site.
What technology readiness and field testing evidence should the deck show?
Put field evidence directly after the opening slides. Investors in hardware want to know the technology works in real marine conditions, so give them a slide that answers these points:
- Where and how long you tested, and under what conditions.
- What failed and what you changed.
- Which operator hosted the test, named if they allow it, or described precisely if they don't.
Holloway advises including a demo, or at least a mock-up, instead of a written list of features. A short video from a working vessel or dock does more than a specification table.
How do investors judge market size and business model?
Show addressable and serviceable markets, plus industry-specific metrics and trends. JPMorgan's guidance asks for market size and scope, and for revenue models along with how you plan to get the product to market.
In ocean tech, a bottom-up count tends to persuade more than a top-down figure. Count the operators you can actually reach, then multiply by what each would pay. Say who signs the purchase, and whether you sell hardware, a subscription or a service contract. Talking to operators early helps here, and our post on customer discovery for ocean scientists explains how.
How do you present traction, pilots and operator validation?
Rank evidence by how much the operator committed, and lead with the strongest. The order is a paid pilot, then a repeat trial, then a letter of intent, then an introduction to a peer. Logos from conversations come last.
JPMorgan gives an early-stage example of demand evidence: talking to 100 potential clients, 90 of whom said they would pay. That is useful, but an operator who paid for a pilot says more than ninety who said yes. Show what the operator did next, not only that they took the meeting.
What about competition and risks?
Show a feature comparison against the current operator routine as well as against other products. JPMorgan notes that decks often use a feature matrix to show what sets a product apart. In marine tech, the toughest competitor is often a crew doing the job the way it always has.
Acknowledge the risks plainly. Long sales cycles, the need for trust with traditional operators and the cost of field testing are real, and investors will raise them anyway. Say how you plan to manage each. Our list of questions investors ask ocean tech founders can help you prepare answers.
How should the team slide read?
Show why this team can solve this problem, with domain and operator experience. JPMorgan's guidance says the team's background, expertise or connection to the problem can create a competitive advantage. A Carnegie Mellon investor-pitch framework weights management team experience at 30%, the largest share of its criteria, ahead of opportunity size at 25%.
Feature the people who have worked on the water, run a vessel operation, or built and shipped hardware. Note any open roles you plan to fill.
How do you lay out financials, the ask and use of funds?
State the amount and the milestones it buys. TechCrunch's guidance on the ask suggests working backward from what you need to accomplish to raise your next round, usually a mix of metrics and milestones. Replace its software examples with hardware ones: a completed sea trial, a certified unit, a first paid deployment.
Show roughly where the money goes against each milestone. The UC San Diego takeaways also advise against listing deal terms in the deck, since terms vary by investor; deliver them in person.
Where can you get the deck reviewed before sending?
Check your draft against the common ocean tech deck mistakes first. If you want a second pair of eyes, Founding Blue Advisory offers a Pitch Deck & Investor Narrative Sprint that includes a slide-by-slide deck review, a narrative overhaul and an annotated deck within 48 hours. Awards, grants and investments are decided by the organizations and investors involved. To ask about a review, visit Founding Blue and use the contact options there.